Travis Bazzana hits his first major league homer in the Guardians' 6-4 win over the Twins
Travis Bazzana hits his first major league homer in Guardians' win over Twins
Aaron Glenn, Jets head coach and former standout cornerback, reflects on player comparisons with D'Angelo Ponds. Glenn's impressive NFL career included 24 interceptions and two Pro Bowl selections.
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Before his coaching career which began in 2014, Jets head coach Aaron Glenn spent 15 seasons in the NFL as a cornerback with eight of those seasons coming in New York.
In fact, Glenn was such a standout cornerback in college, the Jets drafted him No. 12 overall in the 1994 NFL Draft and were rewarded as Glenn made good on that selection.
Glenn played in 121 games and totaled 24 interceptions (three returned for touchdowns), six forced fumbles and six fumble recoveries. In his eight seasons in New York, Glenn, standing at just 5-foot-9, was a two-time Pro Bowler.
After retiring following a brilliant career, Glenn moved on to coaching but his ability and toughness on the field hasn’t been forgotten. It’s actually the attitude he brings as a head coach now and before as a defensive coordinator.
Now, 25 years after Glenn’s final season with the Jets, a new player has arrived with a very similar skillset.
D’Angelo Ponds, a second-round pick out of Indiana in the 2026 NFL Draft, has drawn comparisons to Glenn since even before the draft due to his play-making, resilience and size.
Listed at 5-foot-9 just like Glenn, Ponds has had to deal with being labeled undersized his entire career. Nevertheless, he’s persevered and became one of the top cornerbacks in the draft, helping the Hoosiers complete an undefeated season and win their first-ever national championship.
“I’ve been proving people wrong my whole life,” Ponds said during Jets minicamp on Friday. ‘I embrace it, but at this point I feel like I’m just proving myself right and in that process I’m proving them wrong because they didn’t expect me to do it. I’m just dedicated to the process.”
Someone who did believe in Ponds was Glenn, perhaps because he, too, saw some of himself in the 21-year-old. The head coach was asked what he thinks about the comparison between him and Ponds.
“I think I would describe myself as someone that really wanted to be the best there is in what they do… How do you lead the team from an action standpoint and from a verbal standpoint and [Ponds] has all those attributes,” Glenn said. “And listen I’m not throwing all of that on him right now, but you clearly see those are some of the things that he has and it’s just a part of who he is.”
Aaron Glenn shared his thoughts on player comparisons with D'Angelo Ponds, emphasizing the significance of such comparisons in evaluating talent.
Aaron Glenn had a successful 15-season NFL career as a cornerback, including eight seasons with the Jets, where he made two Pro Bowls and recorded 24 interceptions.
During his eight seasons with the Jets, Aaron Glenn played in 121 games, recorded 24 interceptions, and was recognized as a two-time Pro Bowler.
Aaron Glenn began his coaching career in 2014 and has served as a defensive coordinator before becoming the head coach of the Jets.
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Ponds was also asked about the comparison and whether or not he’s seen it. Like most people, he has. The next question is, does he see it?
“I think on draft night I had watched some more tape of [Glenn] just seeing the comparisons,” Ponds said. “... He does play similar to me, we have some similar traits obviously. He was a great player when he played.”
Even though Ponds agrees with the comparison and isn’t offended by it at all, he still wants to be seen as his own person in the league.
“I’m my own person and I’m just trying to make a name for myself,” he said.
That process of making a name for himself began on Friday during the first day of Jets rookie minicamp where Ponds and the rest of this year’s first-year players and tryout guys were given their first taste of the NFL experience. With any luck, Ponds will have a similar career for New York as Glenn did.
Regardless, Glenn wants Ponds to be his own player and learn as much as he can because he believes he can have a very successful NFL career.
“Listen, it makes me proud that when people see him— I mean I wish people looked at me and said I played like him because he’s a damn good player,” Glenn said. “So we’re gonna take it slow with him, allow him to really learn outside and inside and I’m glad we have him.”